Every morning I receive a devotional message from the Small Straws In A Soft Wind Devotional, by Marsha Burns. Yesterday’s message reminded me of a conversation I had with a group of women regarding issues of alignment. We spoke on the importance of having this virtue in our lives. We lamented about the times we neglected it and rejoiced over the fact that we finally understand the importance of alignment. The devotional message blessed me so I thought I would share it with you:

Living a lifestyle of harmony requires that we engage, consult and inquire of persons with varied skill sets and expertise to which we can draw encouragement, information, inspiration, insight and instruction. I call these people my, Self-Care Board of Directors. These are the persons to whom I have made myself accountable for living a healthy, holistic lifestyle of harmony.

Recent studies on Americans work life reveal that Americans work longer hours than most countries. Statistics show that Americans citizens work 137 hours per year more than Japan, 260 per year more than the UK and 500 per year more than the France. At least 134 countries have laws that regulate the maximum hours its’ citizens are allowed to work during the week.

The month of May is always a month of celebration and personal milestones for me. May opens up with the recognition that I am blessed to have a husband, three children who shower me with love on Mother's Day. Shortly after Mother's Day, I celebrate my birthday on May 16th. This year I am celebrating 56 years of life, good health, and a cadre of family and friends to share life’s joys and sorrows.

Just like spring follows winter, so it is with the seasons of our lives. Seasons that typify drought, disappointment, pain and failure are often followed by seasons of growth in our faith, family, finance, business, career and ministry. Seasons when our lives appear to be stagnant come at different junctures and cycles within our life span. Therefore, we must always prepare ourselves for a season change.

February is always an interesting month. It’s a time characterized by expressions of love for our spouses, significant others and love interests. Children are often encouraged in school to create and give Valentine cards to teachers, fellow classmates and parents during this festive season. While this season is a happy time for many, there are those who dread this season because it can be reminder that they are without a special person to whom they can share the difficulties and joys of life.

Many people begin the year with new resolutions regarding health, wellness, money, relationships, family, education, dreams, visions, personal and professional development. What I enjoy most the New Year is the opportunity to make new commitments toward my pursuits.

Many people start the year with great plans and goals for their lives, careers, education, finances and physical fitness. We are often great starters but few are great finishers. In order to finish strong one must possess an inner resolve to see a goal or a project through till completion. It takes fortitude, tenacity, persistence and a determination to avoid distractions along the way.

Voting is an opportunity to promote, protect, and preserve our democracy. Passing up the opportunity to elect representative leadership means we are electing leaders who share the common interests of the people. Elected leaders have great influence on our freedoms. They can choose to protect our rights to education, healthcare, economic freedom, housing, reproduction and religious freedoms, or they can restrict those rights. They can lead our nation toward righteousness or toward moral disaster.

October is National Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness month. Throughout the month, celebratory events are hosted by women’s groups, sororities, civic, community and faith-based organizations, designed to educate and lift the stories of courageous women. While I am not a breast cancer or survivor or a victim of domestic violence, I have overcome challenges in my health, finances, relationships and family.

September is one of those transitional months that mark a change in the season. The changing of the seasons affords us the opportunity to reflect, retool and refocus. In my book, Run & Not Be Weary: The Pursuit of Purpose & Destiny, I speak of seasons and how we must prepare for season changes in our lives. I write, “Within each season, our responsibility is to manage and complete our God-given purpose, regardless of its difficulty or duration. Then, in God’s appointed time, we must prepare ourselves to change along with the seasons of life.”

This month my Facebook and Instagram timelines are filled with pictures of school age children, high school and college students returning to school after exciting vacations and summer breaks. Many parents have posted pictures of high school seniors juxtapose to their infant, early childhood and elementary school pictures. These posts are filled with joy and congratulatory remarks regarding their student’s growth and success. Yet, many parents expressed a sense that their children had grown up seemingly overnight and without notice.

In my own family, our oldest son is completing his senior year of college, our younger son has entered the workforce, and our daughter graduated high school and has begun her college career. As I peruse my social media timelines, and consider my own family dynamics, the question that comes to mind is, Where Did the Time Go?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about issues around plateau, growth and expansion in my own life. In May, I celebrated by 55th Birthday which was an exciting time for me. However, I came into this year without much excitement, flat, or blah… After several weeks of feeling this way, I took a serious evaluation of where I have been, where I am, and where I was going as I knew I was approaching age 60 in a few short years.

On June 10th, I accomplished a dream that was in my heart 36 years ago. I was first introduced to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1982 on the campus of Lewis University in Romeoville, IL. This was my first college experience. As a black girl from the Southside of Chicago on a predominately white college campus, I was totally unprepared for what I experienced.

Genesis 1:29 records God giving Adam and Eve instructions concerning healthy eating: And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” While some use this scripture to teach that we should not eat meat, there are scriptures in the Bible that make allowances for eating meat such as Leviticus 11:2, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.” I’m not debating whether we should or should not eat meat or whether we should only eat fruits and vegetables. The point that I want to make is that we should all strive to eat healthy.

Dr. Myles Munroe was a game changer. He shifted our understanding of creation helping us to understand that our lives have meaning and significance. I can remember the first time I heard him speak live. His words filled the room. I listened intently to his message on purpose and connected to this truth in ways that changed my life forever.

A few days ago I was sitting at my desk thinking about that morning’s workout at Tadda’s Fitness Camp. It was truly a challenging workout: jog, jump, sprint! I can still hear Tasha encouraging us to do our best as we endured a strenuous exercise routine in the heat. At one point, I began thinking, “This is too much!” I didn’t think I could meet the challenge of a drill that spans the length and width of the entire parking lot 2 ½ times. “Really Tasha?”

One of the leadership books that inspired me last year was Scott Wilson’s Steering Through Chaos: Mapping a Clear Direction for Your Church In The Midst of Transition and Change. I was so inspired by this book that it actually got me excited about something that at one time would make me cringe whenever I saw it coming and that is, Change.